Death Becomes Her
by XxxFIVEbyFIVExxX
Summary: VampBuffy.NC17.Crossover BtvS/Angel. Spuffy. After Dru turns Buffy,The Scoobs and the AtS team learn that there is a prophecy involved, big surprize there! only this is more like an apocalypse to end all apocalypses...apocalypsi....oh you get the idea!
1. Chapter 1

Death Becomes Her.

Chapter One.

The endless days of travelling and the long nights of training the new slayers was getting monotonous. The idea that she would be able to step aside and possibly retire had been crushed the day after Sunnydales fall.

Flashback

Giles had knocked on her motel door and had paced her room as she had sat on the bed, explaining to her that she had a responsibility now, that they were responsible for the newly called slayers.

Her brows had risen and her thoughts were running wild. Did Giles really understand the magnitude of the spell and the task that would involve. She opened her mouth to say just that when he spoke again.

"I realise that this is a huge undertaking and that it won't be easy. With Willows help and with the funds that are available through the Watchers Council, we should be able to manage it all. It will mean of course,that there will be a lot of travelling involved."

Buffy nodded. Her mind still trying to come to terms with everything that had happened over the last twenty four hours, while absorbing the information that Giles was telling her. He mentioned the team and Buffy's breath hitched in her throat as she remembered the fallen.

Anya was dead. One less member of their team.

Xander. Oh God , Xander.... How must he feel?

She knew, of course she knew. Spike.

A tear fell from her lashes, she shook her head in a bid to stop the rest that threatened to fall. She couldn't afford to grieve now. Not when Giles was now giving her the stiff upper lip, you need to be strong for them lecture.

"Just let the dust settle Giles, please. Everyone is exhausted or have in some cases. We've lost people, people that we loved. Let's just take a few days to recoup. You can't expect everybody to go back out there and fight now. Not now. "

Giles studied her face and saw the grief and tiredness in his slayer. She was right. " Right. You're right Buffy. Sorry, it's just that.... "

Buffy looked up at her watcher.

" I'll go, but shall we meet for breakfast at around ten? "

"Sure. How's Xander? Have you seen him since we got here? "

Giles smiled sadly. " He is as you would expect, though he is trying to keep his feelings hidden. " He watched as Buffy stretched out her tired and painful shoulders. " I shall let you rest. See you tomorrow Buffy. "

"Night Giles. " Buffy stood as he walked to the door of her room.

As the door closed she let out a heavy breath. Buffy looked at her beige shirt, stained and ruined from the fight and pulled it off over her head, hissing and jerking as she stretched the wound on her side. Too tired to shower, Buffy slid out of her jeans and boots and climbed into bed and finally shed her tears for the fallen. For Spike.

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Flashback.

After The Fall

He woke groggy and disoreinted. His back hurt and his head felt as if it was made of lead. He rolled onto his side, looking for any demons that could have survived the explosion. He saw nothing threatening and sat up.

"Fuck! "

Spike rose to his hands and knees and wretched, bringing up blood, he held a hand to his head hand cursed again.

How had he made it through the battle? Was he the only one? He raised his dust encrusted lashed and saw the remains of the dragon. Under the front claw he saw the sword Angel had been using. Slowly he got to his feet and staggered his way through bodies and carcasses to where the sword lay. He reached for it and saw the hand that was still fisted around the hilt.

He paused. Could it be Angel? Panic shot through him and he put his badly damaged shoulder to the beasts breasts and pushed, rolling the dragon enough to see the torn leather of his Grandsires jacket.

"Bloody hell! "

Spike stood back and rested hands on his knees, exhaustion overtaking him from just the small amount of exersion. The fingers twitched and gripped the sword, pulling back under the huge belly. Sike stood and watched. He waited. Finally the front leg and shoulder fell from the rest of the dragon, cut away by the immensly pissed of older vampire. The vampire that now stood covered in blood and vicera where the leg should have been.

" You could have helped Spike. "

Spike smirked. "You said that thing was yours, wouldn't want to tread on your toes, mate. "

Angel shook his hand, spraying blood as he did. He smiled and looked over his shoulder. It was over. They had won. His expression turned solemn as he looked back at Spike. "Who else made it? "

"Don't know yet, only just woke up myself. "

They fell into step with each other as they searched for their comrades. Body after body was turned over in the alley until they had found everyone. Everyone had died. All except Illyria, who was presumed missing.

"D'you think she hopped it through the portal? Went home or wherever that thing lead? "

"It's possible, " Angel replied as he stared at the lightening sky where the portal had opened. Dawn was close, another hour and they would have to retreat to the safety of the hotel, or what was left of it.

"She couldn't have survived the blast of power from that thing.... "

Angel glanced at Spike. " She absorbed most of the power..... "

Spike looked up at the heavens and nodded. "Yeah, who knows eh? I mean, we survived, anythings possible. " They both started walking back towards the hotel and the safety that it would give them from the coming sun.

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One Year Later

The office that Giles had rented was cramped and had a stale laundry smell that would permiate the air when the room would warm up. It didn't help that the windows were fixed and the air conditioner would whirl to life as and when it wanted. So much for the Watchers Councils money.

Willow walked through the door without knocking and sat, legs folded under her, on the couch opposite Buffy's desk.

"Hey! "

"Did Giles tell you that we have found another cluster in L.A? "

Buffy raised her eyes from the papers on her desk, looking at Willow pleadingly. Willow smiled sadly.

"Sorry, I know that we said that we would travel to the next location, but Giles is busy with .. "

"Faith, Yeah I know. I just don't understand why she can't do more and why does he have to molly coddle her? He's my watcher... "

Willow cocked a brow at her immaturity.

"Okay, so its childish but please, like her needs are greater than mine. Look at me? I have to run off everytime you find new slayers, come back, do reports, train the newbies and still find time to sleep. I'm tired, I'm stressed and I can't remember the last time I saw Dawn. "

Willow sympahizd with her, she did. But she was _the_ slayer.

"I'll talk to Giles for you, explain to him that you need a break, a rest before you burn out. So, L.A huh? "

Willow watched as her friend froze and looked up at her. '_Really smart Willow, you know how she feels about the place. ' _

Buffy looked up at Willow with a frown marring her face. "Yeah, if I'm honest I'm not looking forward to it. Not since Angel... " Resigned to the fact that she would have to go now, Buffy sat back in her chair and huffed loudly. " Its just that the place is hell central now. I hate going back there. "

"So shall I tell Giles that you'll be going? I think he wanted to see you before you head out. "

Buffy nodded, "Yeah, I'll just finish up here and be right down. " She shuffled some papers and placed them in a drawer of the desk.

Willow left the office to let the watcher know that Buffy would be going and that he should get the location list ready.

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The drive into L.A had been a nightmare. Traffic was backed up on the freeway and there had been an accident closing down lanes. By the time Buffy hit the L.A outskirts, she was angsty and needed a release. She planned to get kitted up and head out for a patrol as soon as she could. Her hotel was not far from the beach but looked run down and in need of a revamp. It served its purpose though and it wasn't as if they could afford the Hilton. Buffy threw her bag beside the bed and put the file that Giles had compiled on the bedside cabinet. She sat and bounced on the bed, checking out the mattress. It wasn't too bad, at least she would get some support for her tired muscles after her patrol. Tomorrow she would start her search for the latest new slayers.

A quick shower and a change of clothes later and Buffy left for her hunt.

L.A was crazy! Within an hour Buffy had staked over twenty vamps and had saved a barful of idiots from a chow down by a Mizpah demon. Truly, those demons were hideous and had disgusting eating habits. As if it wasn't bad enough that they ate humans, but to regurgitate and feed again? Ewww!

Buffy shook her head and tucked her stake back in the front of her jeans, not taking note of her surroundings. A maniacal giggle alerted her and halted her on the spot. Honing her senses, Buffy breathed deep and slow, closing her eyes as she did. She was hemmed in by at least ten vampires, the alley led to a dead end and in the dark, in the shadow of the tall building, was a master. A familiar master.

" Long time no see Dru. "

Before she could react, the group of vampires closed in on her. Hands grabbed, nails scratched and arms held her. Too many to fight and no way to reach for her stake, Buffy panicked. Her legs kicked and pushed against bodies but it wasn't enough. Dru stood smiling, laughing and clapping like a child at Christmas as Buffy was worn down by her minions until all her fight had left her.

Now that she had stilled in their arms, Drusilla moved in closer.

" I'm going to enjoy this my dear. " Dru griped her shoulders and shook into her death mask, her teeth glinting in the soft light that filtered into the alley.

_'Oh god! I'm about to die in a stinking alley, by the craziest vampire ev-er. Oh god! ' _ That was her last thought as she felt the sting of fangs.

"My William died in an alley, " she whispered into Buffy's ear as if she had heard her thoughts. She retracted from the wound in her neck, laping at the few drops of blood that beaded on her skin.

Close to death, Buffy swam in and out of consciousness, vaguely aware of what was happening. Dru held the weak and dying Buffy in her arms, close to her breast. One sharp nail made a deep cut above Buffys mouth and held her to it, waiting for her to drink.

Buffy could feel her body relax , her strength leave her and tried to fight against the urge that soared through her. She hadn't thought much about the effects that dying had on a person. Many say that the body has an inbuilt survival instinct, others say that there is a feeling of peace. Buffy hadn't had time to feel anything at the hands of the Master. Her death then had been quick. Her death in place of her sister had given her a sense of peace.

Now? There was nothing. She felt numb. The wetness against her lips didn't repulse her as it should have, her tongue slid out to taste the cool, salty fluid and liked the taste. Sensing the life that it would or could give her, Buffy began to lap and the cool skin of her killer, becoming greedy, she gulped the crimson liquid down and felt the euphoria it gave her, fill her veins.

Dru watched as the slayer started to drink from her and grinned, her fangs glistened with the blood of the slayer. She had finally claimed the life of the slayer that had evaded her William and had in fact stolen him from her. Dru tilted her head and listened intently as the last faint beats of the slayers heart resounded in her chest.

"Do you hear it boys? Such sweet music... thump thump... thump .... thump...... "

Their combined laughter was the last thing that Buffy heard as her heart stopped beating.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N:- Thank you so much to Bellavision for the idea and support for this story. Thank you to GimmeABeat and Bella for the reviews, they are just Fab!! I hope you both enjoy this chapter as much as the first... Let me know :)

Chapter Two.

Dru had never felt quite like this after a feed. Her skin felt warm, warmer than usual and her veins thrummed with the life force of the slayer. It was intoxicating. Spike had been right when he had told her it was an aphrodisiac. She had never before been so sexually aware before now. Six of her minions had tried to satisfy her lusts and carnal needs and still she wanted more.

As the seventh vampire climbed off her, her eyes strayed to the slayers corpse. She would rise soon, she could feel the connection between them growing stronger. As another of her men edged onto the bed, Dru pushed him away and sat on the edge of the bed. There were preparations that needed to be done before she rose from her slumber.

"Our deadly nightshade needs to be prepared before she blooms. This is wrong, all wrong! "

The group of vampires nodded and moved to carry out Dru's every whim. Dru opened a large dressed box that had been sitting under her bed and lifted a beautiful white chiffon gown. She held it to her body and danced to where Buffy lay.

"My new dolly will look so pretty, don't you agree? " She asked as she shrugged and grinned in a childlike manner. The men agreed, not daring to anger their master by doing otherwise. " We need to bathe her first. "

Dru slowly and carefully undressed her new childe and raised her into her arms. Once in the makeshift bathroom, she lowered Buffy into the tub and cradled her like a babe. After washing Buffy, she returned to the bed and dried her body.

"Now she is cleansed of all the death that clung to her. " Dru breathed in her childes scent and hummed happily.

It took her moments to slip Buffy into the dress and then started to comb her quickly drying hair. Happy with the look she had created, Dru lifted Buffy from the bed and carried her to a darker corner of the warehouse. There on a concrete step, lay an open casket filled with earth. She laid Buffy down carefully and knelt before it and began to cover her over with the loose earth.

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Willow tapped her pen against the desk as she stared absently out of the window. It had been four days since Buffy had left for L.A and there had been no messages or calls. She was worried but it was Buffy, she was good, better than good and what was the worst that could happen? She had only gone on a retrieval mission.....

No... she was being an idiot.

If that was so, then why did she have this irritating, nagging feeling something was wrong? Restless now, Willow got up from the chair in search of Giles.

After explaining how she felt to Buffys watcher, she sighed and slumped onto the couch in the lounge area of Giles' home. Giles was deep in though and chewed the arm of his glasses. " I wonder? "

He rushed to his book shelves and pulled out a thick leather bound tome and started to flip ages back and forth. Finally, he tapped a page and thrust it under Willows nose. It explained it all. Willow sniffed one and broke down.

"Oh god, not again, Giles... what will we do? "

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Angel paused as he reached for the plastic container of blood that he was about to drink. Something was shifting within his being. Spike groaned from the couch where he laid, hung over and feeling awful. He sat up abruptly and looked at his elder.

"What the...? " He glared at Angel, "You lost that soul and been snacking on the locals? "

Offended, Angel snapped back at him, "No! "

Eyes locking on each other they both came to the same conclusion, "Dru! "

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Dru paced back and forth in front of the coffin, waiting for the newly sired slayer to rise. She had dressed for the occassion, choosing a white dress similar to the one she had dressed Buffy in. Patience was never a strength that she possessed and waiting for Buffy to rise was twisting her up inside. Her nails dug into the skin of her arms as she hugged herself and moaned her frustrations. Her fingers ran through her hair and pulled at the ebony strands until finally, she sensed movement.

Buffy's eyes shot open and panic gripped her. Her memories of what had happened were gone, all she knew, all she saw and felt was the earth and the cramped space that she was in. Her immediate thought was of a previous trauma. _Oh no.. Not again! _Her hands and nails began to tear at the lining and wood of the lid, her knees braced against the wood and strained to break through. As she struggled for freedom Buffy became aware of something, someone...... She paused and listened.

Dru stroked the wood and sung a lullaby that her mother would sing to her all those years ago. She gasped as she felt the connection click into place, then smiled. Her reaction was to lift the lid off of her newborn and gently brushed the loose soil from her face. Amber eyes met and Buffy sat up, brushing dirt from her dress.

" No!.. no.. no... no... no... "

Buffy drew her hands to her face slowly, first feeling her forehead for the telltale ridges, then moving them to her mouth. Her lips were swollen and dried, she parted them and ran a fingertip over her jagged teeth. She shook her head and tears fell silently.

"Shhhh... " Dry soothed, " Such a pretty dolly, no need for tears. Mummy will take care of you. I know what you need. " She held her hand out for Buffy to take.

Looking up at her sire, Buffy sniffed and stood up. Cautiously she placed her hand in Drusillas and stepped out of her coffin. Earth fell as she walked with Dru, out into the night air, the city was theirs for the taking.

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"You have any idea where she is? "

Angel shook his head, "No, but she can't be far if we felt her and the rise of a new childe. "

Spike agreed. "So what are we doing still here? We should get out there and find the barmy bint! "

" And do what? Stake her? Stake whoever she has sired? If it was that easy don't you think I would have done it already? "

"You staked Darla, an she was your sire. "

Angel sighed gruffly. "That was different! She was going to kill Buffy! "

"Right, so as long as it's someone you care about, its all right to stake them but not if its just some unsuspecting member of the public? " He watched Angel, his jaw stiff with anger.

Spike stood, swung his leather coat on, picked up a stake and stormed out of the hotel. His path took him west towards the docks. Agrivated into action, Angel followed him out.

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"Take a deep breath and tell me what you smell. "

Buffy inhaled as she was told and coughed. "That's disgusting! What is that? "

Dru giggled and stroked her hand down Buffys long blond hair. " You're too shiny and new, you still use your human senses. Change and then do it again. "

Buffy let her demon out and repeated Dru's instruction. As the air filtered through her nose and into her lungs Buffy smelled something sweet, something so tempting that she found her mouth watering and her stomach aching for. She turned to look at Dru and smiled.

"Delicious isn't it? You follow that scent and we will feed, we will dine richly my dolly, " she cooed.

Colours seemed richer through her demons eyes, smell and sound were enhanced and she could feel her body was stronger. As a slayer, Buffy had thought that she had been strong, stronger than a newly risen fledgling, but now she wasn't so sure. Maybe she still had the slayer strength too? Was it possible? Dru tugged on her arm and led her towards the busier part of the city.

Buffy slowed her pace as they passed a familiar looking motel. She frowned with the effort to remember. She smiled when she did.

" I think I have something that will make our night a little more interesting. " Buffy grinned at Drusilla and started walking into the foyer. Dru followed, intrigued by Buffys statement.

As soon as they entered the foyer the man behind the desk stood and froze. Dru reached across the desk and pulled him towards her and sunk her fangs into him and drank. Buffy watched, her tongue played across her fangs and her stomach growled, no it wouldn't do that ever again, her demon growled. Dru pulled back and offered the mans throat to her. Buffy drew her lips back to expose her fangs and enjoyed her first taste, her first kill. Dru went back to her bite and drank, watching as Buffy drained their victm.

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Spike knew they had to be close, he could feel them. He thought he had caught Dru's scent on the air. Angel had pointed towards an old abandoned building and the two of them entered. It was empty.

"How hard can it be to find one mentally unstable vampire? " Angel gruffed as he stormed out of the building. "Especially one I sired! "

Spike stopped walking and waited for Angel to notice. Angel looked back over his shoulder, "What? "

Spike raised his hand, Angel followed it to where he was pointing. There across the street was a motel, running across the car park, their long dresses flowing out behind them, were the vampires they were searching for.

Instantly Angel froze. Spike breathed in the scent that hung on the air and his eyes widened. It couldn't be...... In a quiet, saddened whisper he said the one name he thought he never would again. "Buffy! "

Angel shot his head round to look at him and shook his head, not wanting to believe it. " It can't be, she's too strong for Drusilla.... You're wrong! " Angel grasped Spikes shoulders hard and shook the younger vampire.

"Get off! You felt it and you saw it! " He spat as he shrugged Angels hands from where they gripped him and pushed him back a step. " Take a good sniff Angel, it's her! "

Consumed by grief for the girl he loved, Spike sunk down to his knees, his back against the warehouse wall. Angel watched as his childe danced around in the street waving what appeared to be a sheet of paper. He narrowed his eyes and breathed in, catching the scent. He lowered his head as his emotions washed over him.

"I'll kill her! I'll tear her bleedin' head from her shoulders! " Spike stood, his face wet from the torrent of tears that flowed from his eyes and his anger at full force at what his sire had done. "I'll.... "

"If that is Buffy, can you kill her too? "

Spike stared at his elder, his jaw ticking away, set hard and furious at the suggestion that he should kill his slayer.

"You know what she is now. She's fed, I could smell the blood on them both. "

"We have to find her, do whatever we can and get Willow here. "

Angel understood what he meant without Spike saying anything else. "Do you think it's fair? She was a slayer, Spike. Do you think she would want to be one of the creatures she hunted, that she would want to carry the curse that haunts my life? "

Spike shook his head. "No, but she's been turned, by Dru, technically she is our responsibility now. "

"And I intend to take care of it, Spike. " Angel drew a stake out from his jacket and walked forward, catching sight of Dru and Buffy as they walked away from them hand in hand. Unable to do anything but follow, Spike fell into step as Angel closed the gap between them.

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"Now we can have a feast, a banquet, " Dru sang as she rubbed her hands over her body.

Buffy sighed. _A vampire for all of three hours and already she is driving me as crazy as she is! How on earth did Angel and Spike put up with her for so long? ' _Buffy could feel the connection to Dru strengthen, could feel a connection to her kin snap into place. Buffy knew Angel was out there, somewhere and she wondered if he had felt her. Her heart clenched in her chest at the thought of him and she grew sad. Was he the enemy now?

She thought of Spike, and what he would have said if he could see her now? He had held her once and grinned as he gently bit her neck as they lay in his bed in the crypt. When she pushed him away and looked at him, he had held her with his hunger filled gaze.

_' You would have made a bloody gorgeous vamp luv. Maybe I should have tried harder and turned you all those years ago. Made you mine for eternity. '_

_Buffy threw back the covers and had rushed to pick up her clothes. As she pulled on her jeans, his hands caught her hips, stilling her._

_'M'sorry, I shouldn't have said that. '_

_' No, you shouldn't have. Is that what you'd really want? To make me a thing... an evil thing, just so you could have me for the rest of your life? God! I hate you sometimes! ' _

_Buffy had dressed as fast as she could and had ran from the crypt, leaving him cursing his stupidity._

Feeling her emotions swell, Buffy could do nothing but follow her sire as she lead them towards the first address on the list. Buffy felt as if she had a knife twisting in her gut as she thought of her friens and her watcher. Once they found out that the new slayers were being killed, they would know it was her, that she was no longer their slayer. Panic swept over her and she pulled at Dru to get her to stop.

"Dru! Dru... "

Her sire stopped and looked down at her. " What troubles you sunshine? Are you hungry? " she smiled and licked her teeth in anticipation. "All that precious slayers blood to dine on, we shall feed on only the finest and then we will ... " She rubbed at her body and swayed as she moaned.

Buffy grimaced at the wanton way Dru moved, knowing what she meant.

"No... Look, we can't just go around killing all the girls on that list. My friends, "

Dru looked at her angrily and snarled. "What of them? You want to kill them first? Ooo.. I like that idea best, Angelus would be so proud. "

"No! We are not killing my friends! Willow, she's a powerful wicca .... "

"You think she will take your bite away like she did with Daddy? "

" I just... " Buffy hadn't thought that far ahead but now she couldn't avoid it. " It's possible Dru, but they have ways of finding the girls and will know when they die. We can't take that chance. Lets just feed on one and then go back to the warehouse. "

Dru nodded, " This is your night, your birthday... One candle to snuff out. Then we will return home and have ourselves a ball... " Dru laughed as they turned into the street that was listed on the sheet of paper clutched in her hand. Buffy looked around at the street and followed, a feeling of dread heavy in the pit of her stomach.

Gaining access to the house had been easy.

Dru knocked on the door, much to Buffys surprise and whimpered as the middle aged owner opened the door. No words were spoken. Dru held the man in her gaze and had swayed gently. Within a few minutes the man stood aside and invited them in.

Buffy knew that Dru had the power to enthrall a person. She had been told by Giles and Spike that she had the gift, but she had never seen her erform it. It was quite impressive, she admitted to herself. Now that they had entered the home, they held the man against the wall and had drained him quickly. His body slid down the wall between them and lay in a crumpled heap at their feet.

Dru lean into Buffy and licked her cheek clean before pulling her up the stairs. Dru tip-toed to each door in turn and opened them, searching the house for theie prize. In the third bedroom was the slayer.

Buffy hesitated.

Could she really do this? Dru hovered over the sleeping form and pushed her fingers to her mouth as she tried to keep herself from waking the slayer. Buffy walked into the room and closed the door behind her. In the pale light Dru looked more menacing. Is that what she looked like now?

A gasp sliced through the silence that surrounded them and Buffy looked down at the slayer. Dru licked her fingertips and bent down, her eyes looking up at Buffy. Buffy shifted closer to the bed and was hit by the intoxicating scent of the blood, bring her demon out. She snarled and watched as Dru bent the slayers neck back.

Buffy saw the wound open further, Dru must have used her razor sharp nails to cut her throat. Buffy moaned as her mouth watered. Lowering her lips to the wound, she drank.

Power enfused her being, it was like a drug. Its richness was only the beginning. It drank like the headiest of wines, yet infused her with so much more. Power, strength, knowledge...... Both Buffy and Dru fed hungrily at the throat of the slayer, both moaning and snarling as their demons rejoiced in its victims cries and pleas.

Dru stopped feeding and walked slowly to kneel behind Buffy, holding her hair back as she continued to feed. Her fingers stroked through her hair, along her shoulders and down her arms. Buffy felt every nerve tingle as her sire stroked and petted her. It bought out a need in Buffy that she hadn't felt in so long. Buffy sighed . Her veins pulsed, her nerves sang and her body now craved something ..... someone....

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The door was open. Spike pushed it back further and carefully stepped into the hall. At the foot of the stairs lay the owner. He didn't check for a pulse, it was obvious he was dead. The scent of blood, of slayers blood filled his lungs and he fought off his demon. Angel held his arm as he made for the stairs.

"If we have to, we will... "

Solemnly he nodded and continued up the stairs. Angel held his stake tightly at his side as he trailed after Spike. Only the sounds of a clock ticking broke the silence until they heard a low throaty moan.

Cautiously they walked to the closed door and listened.

Inside the room, Dru lathed Buffy's throat with her tongue, her hands wandered her body. Buffy moaned. Never had she been so aware of her own body. She needed more, needed to be touched, needed someone to just.....

Spike held up a hand as Angel reached for the handle to open the door. His nostrils flared as a unique and familiar scent enveloped him. He sucked in air over his teeth as his body reacted to the scent of his slayers arousal. Angel frowned.

"Are they? " Was all he asked.

"Shhh, you moron. " Spike nodded.

Angel felt his own cock stir at the thought of Buffy and Dru together...

They may have souls but they were still demons. Demons that still bayed for the blood they were denied and the wild, animalistic sex that they had revelled in back in the day. Hearing the soft murmurs and moans was driving them crazy. It was almost tortuous. The thick aroma of the slayers blood was almost the breaking point for Spike. He growled loudly and burst through the door, stake raised high. He halted immediately, Angel ploughed into his back.

"B.. Buffy? "

Her amber eyes looked up at him and widened. She stood up and wiped the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand. "Spike? Oh my God! Is it really you? " Her legs felt weak, her uneeded breath caught in her throat as she sat on the dead slayers bed. " No.. your not real... this is a dream.... This isn't real..... " she sobbed. "I'm not ... I can't... "

Spike took a step closer despite the warning hisses that Dru gave him. "It is me, pet. "

"Oh god! " Buffy held her hands to her face, "What have I done? "


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three.

Giles sighed and stood up, reaching for the bottle of whiskey he kept hidden in a drawer of his desk. Confirming his slayers death earlier had sent shockwaves through the core group of 'scoobies' and had left them all emotional and broken. Willow had gone back to her home with Xander, unable to keep their tears from falling and unfit to do any research, it was the best thing to do. Giles stared at the photograph on his desk of Buffy with Dawn and her friends, taken shortly after the fall of Sunnydale. They had arrived in Italy, as guests of the Immortal, and looked happy, tanned and refreshed after some well earned rest. At that point, Buffy had expressed a desire to retire from her duties and to take better care of Dawn. Giles had been against the idea and had spoken at length to her regarding her duty to the newly called slayers.

He shook his head and wished that he could turn back time and allow her that freedom.... Maybe then she might have lived longer.

Research had revealed that the spell that Willow had cast back in Sunnydale with the aid of the scythe had tied the slayers essence to her, thus making her aware of each slayer as they were called or died. In Buffy's case, as the original and strongest slayer, Willow had felt it with more intensity. It was as if the girl had felt a part of her die as well. Willow had panicked when she felt an ice cold spark burn within her being. Giles feared its meaning and had refused to believe it could be true. Xander had held Willow as she sobbed while Giles had merely sat back in his chair and closed his eyes, composing himself with dignity.

"Buffy has risen, she is no longer the slayer but the very thing that she was born to destroy. We have to find her and stop her. "

Xander could no longer hold back his anger, blaming Giles' relentless pushing and constant work load for what had happened. Maybe if he had let her retire, maybe if he had let her rest, if only he had let her take back up......

Regardless of their feelings and views on the subject, the damage was done. Now they had to focus on damage control. Willow dried her tears and stood, making her way to the bookcase and pulled out a small nondescript book from a high shelf. Giles and Xander could only stand aside and watch as she performed a spell that would find her.

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"What did I do... How could I? " Buffy asked as she stared at the drained body laying across the bed.

Not knowing how she would react, Spike took a tentitive step towards her. Dru hissed at him, baring her fangs threateningly. He spared her a glance but that was all. His attention was directed at only one girl, his girl.

"Sweetheart? " He took another cautious step. " Come with me Buffy, lets go somewhere safe before the police get here, yeah? Get you somewhere safe. "

She stood by the window, the pale moonlight filtered by the oyster organza curtain shone on her face and he swallowed hard. Her face was soaked with tears, her ridges and brow looked harsh in the half light. She spun to face the room as Angel moved towards her, the stake still clutched in his hand. Her eyes stayed locked on the weapon as she contemplated her fate.

"I'm evil, I killed ... Oh god... "

She fell silent and her expression frightened Spike into moving forward. He stood close enough to smell her fear. His demon swelled up from inside him, making him growl low in his chest, a warning that Angel should have taken note of.

"You aren't killing her, Angel. I won' let you. "

"You heard her, Spike. Now move aside. "

"You're not doing this. " Spike replied through gritted teeth, his eyes burning gold and furious. " Can't you sense it? She shows remorse, there is a chance.... "

Angel walked farther into the room, " She is scared, that's all. Now move aside Spike. "

Forgotten for now, Dru stood quietly in the darker corner of the room and smiled. The boys were going to fight and her William was protecting her new dolly. She bounced on her feet and clapped.

Angel, Buffy and Spike looked to where the abrupt noise was coming from. Dru stilled and moaned.

" I'm not going to ask again, move away from Buffy and let me do this. "

"No! "

" As your elder I am telling you to... "

Spike laughed and manouvered Buffy with one arm so that she was now stood at his back, not once taking his eyes away from the threat before him.

"You might be my elder Angel, but you don't carry the same authority now, not since you got that pesky soul. "

Angel gave a short burst of laughter, "Oh really? Are you challenging me, boy? "

Spike straightened his back, rolled his shoulders and bared his fangs. "M'not that person now, Peaches. " he sneered. "I've been on my own, been a master for too long for you to try and assert any authority on me. " Spike grinned. Finally he was getting the chance he had waited a century for. Oh he had tried before, when he had been younger and weaker. But he wasn't that same vamp and now he had years of fighting experience.

"S'pose I am. " His body prepared itself for the attack he knew would come. His stance altered and his muscles tensed. "Dru? Get Buffy out of here. Now! "

Angel narrowed his eyes at the posturing younger member of his clan and then at the females. "No, stay. Then you can watch as I remind him of his place. "Once Dru had Buffy in her arms and back in the farthest corner, Spike spoke. "I won't, I can't let you hurt her. "

"You won't be able to stop me, she's a threat, a danger Spike. I can't let her live. We need to put our feelings for her aside and do the right thing. "

Dru let out an inhumane wail and ran at Angel. Her nurturing side making her dangerous and more lethal than she usually was. Her nail bit into the soft skin of his face as she tried to sink her fangs into his neck. He was surprized at her strength, used to Dru being frail and weak. It gave her the advantage. Angel held her by her hips and pushed her away, Dru sliced at his shoulders and chest, shredding his coat and shirt with her razor like nails. The aroma of sires blood filled the air and turned Dru's attack wild and frenzied. Her demon roared at the scent and she latched onto one of the cuts, drinking deeply.

Angel roared and after a desperate struggle, managed to tear Dru from his body and threw her to where Buffy stood. Anger built up inside him and now he was ready to face Spike.

Buffy bent to her knees to check on Dru, who although hurt, was laughing. Buffy switched her attention to the male vampires as they began to stalk each other.

Angel tossed the stake aside and flexed his fingers, getting them ready for the fight. Spike popped his neck and rounded his shoulders to loosen them up. As he came within touching distance of Buffy, he stopped. "We going to walk in circles all night or are you going to make a move? "

Angel paused and stilled for only a matter of seconds, but it was enough. Spike leaped through the air and took Angel down to the floor, punching him continuously. Angels head rocked back with the force. Maybe he had underestimated his grandchilde.

He roared with the effort it took to push Spike away and over his head. Angel spun to face Spike and delivered a hard kick to his chest, slamming the blond into the wall. Plaster and dust fell from the ceiling and showered the two warring vampires. Buffy noticed the stake out of the corner of her eye and reached for it. Now that she was armed with the weapon, she felt safer. She watched as Angel was punched hard and with enough force to knock him out of the bedroom and onto the hall outside. Spike took two strides to meet him and again punched his elder. This time Angel staggered, went over the balastrade and tumble head over fett down the stairs. One hand braced on the handrail, Spike leapt over it with graceful ease, landing at the foot of the stairs.

Buffy ran to the top of the stairs, desperate to know who would win and whether or not she would have to defend herself against Angel.

The fight took itself out onto the front lawn of the dead slayers home. Angel and Spike traded blow for blow until finally Spike had Angel pinned to the floor by his throat. Angel growled loudly, defiantly trying to force the last of his authority onto Spike. It only made him laugh.

"Even now you won't back down will you? You know that by rights I could drain you dry and leave you to dust at sunrise, and yet, you still keep pushing me. " Sike licked his fangs, they itched to bury themselves in his throat and take the prize, to lay his mark on his elder and become the head of the clan. Spike leaned in close to Angel neck and gave a snarl. " Just tell me that you won't harm one hair on Buffy and I'll let you go. "

Angel strained his eyes to the left, giving Spike a defiant glare. "Just bloody tell me and I won't shame you. "

Buffy and Dru both watched as the stretch of quiet continued. Spike sighed, resigned to the fact that Angel was going to force him into submission. As he lowered his head to inflict the bite Buffy stepped out of the house and towards them. She laid her hand on Spikes shoulder, halting him.

"Angel's right, I'm not safe, I need to be ... to die. " She held out the stake for him to take.

Spike glanced at the stake in her tiny hand and then into her eyes. Panic gripped him. "No Buffy. Don't you see, pet. I can't let you die and I bloody well won't do it. We'll find you a way to get your soul back, even if we have to go to the demon bloke I did. I'll stop you from hurting anyone, we'll make sure of it. " He looked back at Angel for confirmation. Angel gave a single nod and closed his eyes.

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Giles watched the map as Willow performed the incantation that would tell them of Buffy's location. A bright light lit up an area in L.A. Xander picked up his car keys and made his way to the door of the office. Giles held his hand out for Willow to take. As she rose from the floor , she tucked the crystal and spell ingredients back into a zip lock bag. They left the office behind Xander and got themselves mentally prepared for their task ahead. Each knew it would be hard and that there was always the element of risk. But it was Buffy. They needed her. The world needed her.

Xander took the freeway and watched as the sky began to lighten. Dawn would soon be upon them. Buffy would have to find shelter and that would make her easier to find.

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Spike wrapped his coat around her shoulders, leaving his arm draped around her too. He held her close, savouring the sensations of having her there again. How he had managed to go without this feeling for so long? It was euphoric. His demon recognized her but felt uneasy. Her aura, her signiture was similar and yet not. The difference in her unsettled his being and he could almost feel the his demons grief at the loss of its slayer. Yet there was joy at being with her again. His whole being sang with her closeness. There was no way he was going to allow Angel, or anyone else, take her from him again.

Buffy walked behind him, completely aware of everything around her. The slayers blood had made her super sensitive to anything living, their life forces flowing over and through her. It felt very similar to having a pulse. She was also still very sexually aroused, which made her squirm as she walked. She felt guilty for feeling that way and vaguely remembered that Spike had once told her that it had the same effect on him, that slayers blood was very potent and almost drug like to vamps. She only hoped that the effects wore off quickly.

Spike slowed as he got his car keys from his pocket and opened the central locking, calling over his shoulder for her to get in. Buffy complied.

"What about Dru and Angel? "

Spike looked out at where Angel still lay on the lawn. " I don't care about him right now. " He paused. " Dru isn't top of my bloody list of favorite people either. They'll flee someone safe, don't fret about them now. My main concern is you, love. Lets just get somewhere, clean you up and get you settled. "

He pulled away at speed as flashing blue lights reflected off the houses farther up the street.

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The motel that they had chosen was, in Giles' opinion, only just habitable. He would have refused to shower and sleep in the bed had he not been so tired. He had said for them to sleep as soon as they had arrived in L.A so they could start the search for Buffy at midnight and keep it up through the night.

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"Home sweet Home, pet, " Spike said softly. Buffy looked at the building that they were now park outside of. She had sat staring at the passing scenery as he drove and had been silent. Truth was, she was scared to look at him, her mind, body and demon were all screaming at her to take him, to pull him to her body and satisfy her lusts. She hadn't spoken, she had remained silent as she came to terms with what she had become and what she had done.

"Its not much, but it keeps us safe and its comfy I guess. " Spike opened the door and ushered her in. "All that money that those lawyers had and did Angel pilfer any from them before the big fight? " He turned to look at her, frozen to the spot just inside the fron't door. "Guess you heard about that one? "

Buffy nodded.

"Yeah. Um... well... This is home for me now love, make yourself comfy. "

Buffy looked at the room, it was a large open plan foyer with a small desk off to one side. A retro circular couch sat in the middle of the room.

"There's bedrooms upstairs that have a bathroom upstairs, " he pointed out, "So if you want to get changed. "

"I don't have anything to change into. " Buffy replied, brushing down her dress.

"I'm sure there must be clothes left here from the cheerleader somewhere, I'll find some for you. Lets fine you a room and get you settled then love. No doubt the ponce and Dru'll be back soon. "

Buffy followed him up the large staircase and along the dark hall.

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Angel was glad that Spike had brought Buffy back to the Hyperion. Her scent filled the foyer and he could hear movement upstairs. Dru wandered the open space, muttering quietly to herself. His injuries would need fixing up and so, Angel went behind the desk and got out the first aid kit. It was times like this that he missed Cordy and Fred and the way they would take care of him. He grunted as he sat down. Spike had broken at least three of his ribs and if he had been human, no doubt he would have internal bleeding. He felt bruised inside and out. It would take him at least a week to heal from the beating he had taken. But his worst injury was the one to his pride. He had been beaten and had lost the right to call himself the alpha.

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The room was dark, not helped by the dark magenta colour of the walls, and the black out curtains at the windows. The bed looked as though it had seen better days, like back in the fifties better.....

But she was out of the soon to rise sun and at the moment she had space. Spike was getting cleaned up after the fight and there had been no sign of Angel or Dru. Sighing, Buffy slumped onto the bed and laid down. She could think more clearly now that she didn't have her new family trying to off her or tech how to kill or for that matter, shocking her by their surprize ressurection. Well actually Spike had come back to life a while ago, its just that nobody had felt it important enough to tell her that.

But why didn't he let her know? Sure she had travelled around a lot but Giles hadn't. Their office had been in the same building for the past year or so. Did she mean that little to him? Did he truly not believe her when she had told him she loved him before he died back in Sunnydale?

Buffy sighed again. Rest was going to be hard to get while her thoughts were racing like this. She felt Dru call to her. With a roll of her eyes and unable to resist, Buffy got up and went in search of her.

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Xander shuddered. "This place really is creepy with just one eye, dread to think what it looks like through two. "

Used to his quips regarding his lack of 20-20 vision, Giles and Willow took no notice. "It is rather eerie I have to admit. " Giles said.

"It looks like a war raged here. The hotel wasn't like this the last I was here. " Willow said as she held a door open. It creaked its protest at being open.

Once inside she walked up to the desk and peered over it. Giles took in the architecture and Xander stood in the doorway.

"Hello? " Willow called out. "Hello? Anyone here? "

Angel appeared at the top of the stairs, looking worse for wear and started his descent. "Willow? "

"Hi! " She gave him a nervous smile and waved.

" I assume you're here for Buffy? " He walked down the stairs slowly towards her. Her heart beat faster and her breathing became shallower. "She won't be leaving with you, I can't allow it. "

Giles stepped closer. " You can and you will. This is no place for her. She belongs with us, we can take care of her. "

"We're her family, " Xander added.

From out of the dark stepped Dru, shaking her head , "No.... not any more. We're her family now..... Dolly isn't yours anymore.... "

Angel put himself between Dru and Buffy's friends, hoping that Dru wouldn't attack them.

Giles held up a crossbow in each hand, one aimed at each vampire.

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Spike felt better now that he had showered and changed his clothes. His wounds were almost healed. He was tired but sleep could wait. All he wanted was to be with Buffy. Away from her, his demon grew restless and he still did not trust Angel. The great poof was not one to back down when he wanted something or wanted to do something. He felt the faint call from Dru, calling Buffy no doubt. He could also sense humans downstairs. Without pause, he left his room and headed downstairs.

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"She's coming, being a good girl when mummy calls, " Dru watched the stairs as Buffy came down them.

Her watcher and friends all turned to see her, shocked eyes and open mouthed as she came down the stairs. Buffy went to Dru's side. It was clear to them what she was saying without words. What Dru had said was true, Buffy was theirs now.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N:~ Sorry that it has taken me sooooo long to update! I had Ch 4 & 5 ready but after reading them, decided I didn't like the where they were going, so I started again! I will try and get two chappies done in a week from now on.... I hope you like this next part, it starts to unravel some truths.......... Please review :)

Chapter Four.

Tensions were running high as everyone stood silently in the foyer of the hotel, all focussed on one thing, or rather, one person.

Buffy.

Dru was petting Buffy, stroking her hair in a bid to sooth her. Angel had moved to stand between Buffy's friends and the girl in question. Spike watched from the balcony, waiting to see what would happen next, his position afforded him a good view and also a great vantage point to launch himself down upon the watcher should he make a move to take Buffy away or to harm her.

Buffy sensed their fear and her demon roared for freedom. Her bloodlust was growing, gnawing at her insides. She could feel Dru through their bond, her calming influence helping her to remain calm while facing her friends. For that she was grateful. Angel radiated more tension and anger than Spike, who she could feel above her. Spike was more curious than anything.

The silence was getting boring now, Spike thought. They had no idea that he was back, he toyed with the thought of just leaping the rail of the balcony, just so that he could see the shock and horror on the watcher and whelps faces. Always did like to rattle them up....

He landed lightly, making the watcher, witch and whelp back up fast, their weapons all aimed at him . Casually, Spike lit a cigarette and narrowed his eyes through the smoke at them.

"Isn't' that just typical? Save the world, nice fiery death and this is the thanks I get? " He took a long pull from his smoke and blew it out harshly, " Put the weapons down, not going to hurt you. "

Giles flitted his eyes between the four vampires before his gaze locked with Spikes. " I find that hard to believe. "

Spike shrugged, "Suit yourself. " Without turning to look, Spike called Buffy to him. Dru let her go, both Dru and Angel came forward to stand at Spikes back.

Giles frowned. Something within the dynamic of their family had changed. It wasn't just that Buffy had joined them either. Angelus stood at Spikes back..... He looked battered and bruised........ He looked submissive.

Spike pulled Buffy to his side and kissed the top of her head before his attention focussed on the watcher again as he spoke. "Would you care to tell me what the hell is going on? How is it that you are back in this world? We thought you died closing the hellmouth. "

Dru giggled, Angel narrowed his eyes. Spike walked forward, flicking his finished cigarette carelessly at Xander. " Well, " he said with a smirk, " I got bought back to life, or unlife, by the shiny bauble, came back from the dead in the poofs office. I hung around for a bit then, bright spark that he is, Angel decided to go and start another apocalypse. Dru had herself one good day and now Buffy is one of us. Think that just about covers it. "

" Thank you for the history lesson, deadboy, but I think Giles was.... "

"Enough Xander. " Giles lowered his crossbows and sighed. "Buffy? "

She looked up at her mentor and swallowed hard. " I can't remember much , just pieces.... "

"It's like that when your new, while the demon settles in. Won't always be like that, love. "

"Perhaps one of you can shed some light on how my slayer ended up as a member of the Aurelius line? " Giles asked.

Again Dru giggled. " It was me, " she said dragging out the last word for a few seconds before she grinned proudly.

Giles' lips tightened and his finger itched to pull the trigger on the crossbow he still held. His eyes hardened and stared at the insane vampire that had taken Buffy's life. She sensed the fury within him and looked deep into his eyes. Drucilla seemed lucid now, almost normal. "She needed saving. "

Giles could not contain his fury and stepped towards Dru, his crossbow raised. " Tell me how turning her into the very thing she is born to hunt, was saving her! "

Willow and Xander stood back, sensing that the situation could turn bad, very bad, at any moment. Should Giles let loose a bolt from the cross bow, they were sure that he would have three angered vampires at his neck.

"Don't do anything stupid Rupes, yeah? "

"Are you threatening me? " Giles said in a low, menacing voice that they could only just hear.

Angel raised a brow, cross his arms over his chest and watched. He wasn't the superior vampire now. Whilst the thought of that still burned, he was also curious as to how Spike was going to handle this. He had been told all about Spikes association with Buffy and her friends, knew how they had accepted the fact that Buffy had a relationship with him and that she had leaned on him for support and help. He also knew that Giles detested Spike and had tried to kill him during the Firsts reappearance in Sunnydale. Giles may be grateful for Spikes sacrifice, but he could sense the animosity that still burned the man. Angel wasn't fool enough to think that he was held in high esteem either. Only Willow seemed to understand the vampires and accepted them without malice.

" Take it how you want to mate, " Spike held onto Buffy as a precaution, knowing that should her watcher dust Dru, she would attack. "We want to know why Dru did it as much as you, aiming weapons at her isn't going to help anyone. "

Without taking his stern eyes from Giles' scowling ones, Spike called Dru to his side. "Dru? What did you mean when you said you saved her? " His voice was soft, inquisitive.

" I saw it, what will be, what becomes. He is coming for her. "

"This is preposterous! To take the word of a mad woman, a.. a vampire at that! "

Angel spoke up, " It's well known that Dru is gifted, that she has second sight. She has visions, dreams, that have proven to be true on many occasions. "

Xander laughed, "Next you'll be telling us that she can tell fortunes and uses a crystal ball. "

"You can mock her and what I say, but it is the truth. Choose to believe me or not. " Angel answered, his eyes darkened as he stared at Xander. "Only Dru knows why she did it, if you want to know the reason then you will have to accept what she says. Pointing arrows at her chest won't give her the incentive to talk. "

Giles lowered his crossbow and held up a hand, indicating that Xander should do the same. He complied, as much as it irked him to do so.

"Why don't we all go into the office and talk like civilized people? " Spike motioned towards the office door. " Angel, would you fetch my girl some blood? See if Dru wants some too. " Spike took Buffy's hand and led her into the office, not turning to see if the group followed.

Giles sighed audibly. The situation was much graver than he had imagined. Knowing that Buffy was now a vampire was bad enough, but to know that she was now back in the fold with Angel, Dru and Spike only made him fearful. Buffy was a soulless demon now, one that both Spike and Angel loved. Giles had no idea whether Spike still had his soul. Had it been consumed by the mystical fire that had burned him to ashes back in the hellmouth? Would Angel pursue her again? Giles knew that Angel still pined for Buffy and the destiny he believed was his. Between them, the four vampires had enough power and knowledge to cause devastation, to cut a terrifying swath across the globe and Giles knew that they would have a hell of a time doing it. History of their clan had proven that.

Buffy kept quiet, unsure of how she felt inside. She felt the lust for blood and the kill, yet her mind and heart balked at the idea of taking a life. Had Spike been right? Was this the calm before the storm? Would this tranquility subside once her demon settled and accepted its place within her? What would happen if it couldn't? With her heightened emotions running wild, Buffy wondered if she would end up as crazy as her sire.

That was another thought that plagued her. If Dru had sired Spike and had been too weak and mad to teach him how to be one of them, then who would become her surrogate sire? Angel had taken the young William under his wing and taught him what he was and had molded him into the vampire that would rival his own viciousness. Would they do that to her?

Spike sat down on the edge of the desk and pulled her to him, his legs parted to cradle her between them while her back was against his chest, his arms wrapped around her waist. Giles sat on the leather couch against the wall, facing the desk and the couple. Dru stood beside Spike so that she could be close to Buffy. Xander and Willow sat on the edge of the sofa next to Giles.

Angel walked into the office and stopped, the tension hung thick in the air making it hard for him to keep his already frayed nerves calm. He handed Dru and Buffy a cup of blood each and then sat behind the desk in his chair. He was surprised that Spike hadn't taken that seat, as the new Alpha he expected him to want to 'Lord it up' and make sure everyone knew.

"Go ahead Peaches, you can fill them in just as well as I can. I'm concentrating on keeping Buffy calm at the moment. "

Angel nodded and leaned forward to pick up a pen, then opened a drawer to get out a pad. " Have you read of any impending apocalypse? Any information on anything that may want to harm Buffy? "

Giles shook his head, "No. Nothing. I thought your mad childe held the answers Angel, shouldn't we be asking Drucilla for the answers as to why she felt it necessary to turn my slayer? "

"Bloke has a point Angel. " Spike said with a smirk.

Buffy yawned, Exhausted from the nights activities and bored with the discussions that were about her, but not involving her. Even after the mug of blood she felt weak and disoriented still. Turning in Spikes arms she laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes. Breathing in his scent seemed to calm her and sooth her. She wriggled further into him and rested her head under his chin.

Spike rested his head against his slayers and took a moment to selfishly enjoy her being in his arms again . His mind, body and soul rejoiced at having her back in his arms after so long. When she buried herself deeper into the embrace and yawned again, he knew that his girl wouldn't last much longer without sleep.

"I'm taking her up to my room. You can fill us in on anything once we wake up. " He scooped Buffy up in his arms and left the office, heading upstairs to his room.

Angel watched them go and then turned to Giles. "I may not have had the pleasure of working with you for some time now, Rupert but I can tell that you are holding something back. If that is the case and you were keeping quiet because Buffy was here then now is the time to speak up. "

Dru moaned and clutched at her stomach. All eyes turned to her,

"He will walk the earth again soon... I angered him.... He wants her still.... She is still pure.... "

Giles stood abruptly, his hands gripping Dru's arms tightly and started to shake her. "Who? Who is coming for her... Tell me who it is! "

Dru sunk into herself and whimpered, groaning as if in pain. Angel laid his hand on Giles' shoulder and shook his head. "You won't get anything from her now, Rupert. Come and sit down so that I can explain a few things regarding Dru. "

Angry eyes met Angels but Giles did as he was asked. He sat back down and waited for Angel, and hopefully Dru, to tell him everything.

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"Lets get you comfy, love. " Spike whispered as he laid Buffy down. She stretched and mewled with contentment as she sunk further into the bed. Seeing her like this flooded him with feelings and sensations, making him want to curl around her, wrap her up in his arms and never let her go. He hated the fact that Dru had turned her and yet, deep down inside, he felt some kind of twisted elation. His demon was estatic that she was now a vampire. They were family and that made the connection between them stronger.

Spike slipped his coat off and laid it across the chair that sat beside the window and ran his hand through his hair. He glanced over his shoulder at the girl he loved as she slumbered and breathed deeply. He was weary but his mind would not let him rest. The man inside him, his soul, mourned for the girl that he loved beyond all else. The warmth from her body was gone, he would never feel her heat radiate through his cold bones and warm him like the sun again. The pink flush that would tint her cheeks when he whispered his passions to her would never happen again. So many small things about her that he loved, had gone when Dru had taken her life and delivered her into their world and for that, he hated her. But you can have her for always now, his demon whispered to him.

She stirred, pulling him from his thoughts.

"Spike? "

"I'm here, love. " He walked across the room and sat on the edge of the bed. "What is it? "

"I'm cold, so cold. "

Spike drew back the covers and slid in beside her, wrapping his arms around her. "Better? "

Buffy nodded. "Will I always feel this way? I'm so cold and I feel so confused about everything. "

He brushed a tendril of hair back from her face and gently stroked her back. "You get used to the cold, pet. Feeding more often will help with that too. As for the confusion, it'll pass. Once your demon settles and you learn to control your emotions better. "

Her fingers danced over the scar that marred the perfect column of his neck, he leaned into her touch, closing his eyes as the euphoric sensations she roused within him flooded his senses.

"Buffy, " he whispered her name as if it was a silent prayer, telling her exatly how he felt without saying everything he wanted to.

"I missed you, so much. "

He pulled her closer, revelling in the feel of her body against his again. "Missed you too, kitten. Not a day passed when I didn't. "

"Why didn't you come back to me Spike? "

"Cos I'm a fool, Buffy. I convinced myself that you had moved on, that you could have a normal life at last, what with all the new slayers and such. I didn't want to remind you of the past and wanted you to have a future. "

" My future would have been better with you in it, I meant what I said Spike, I loved you. It took me a while to realise it or at least to have the courage to admit it. To myself and to you, but I did. "

His heart both sung out at that reveltion, and was crushed by her words. "Hearing you say that, then and now .... I knew, it's what gave me the strength to do what I did. If I had accepted it you would have held my hand and gone down with me and I couldn't let happen. I know it was bloody stupid of me to say what I said but I had to, to get you out of there and to safety. Knowing you loved me, it gave me something to hold on to. "

" What happened afterwards? "

"You mean, while I was gone or when I came back? "

"Both, not that you have to tell me if..... "

Spike took a deep breath and kissed her forehead. " I don't remember where I was, only that I was in pain, physically and mentally. I held onto memories, of you, of Dawn and they helped keep me sane. There were times when I felt as if something or someone was trying to tear my soul from me, could feel it like it was physical. Wasn't going to let them have it, I fought for it, for you and I wasn't about to let some nasty take that from me. I felt my soul for the first time down in that pit of hell when you held my hand and there was no way some sodding evil thing was taking it. I don't recall much after that. "

"Angel said the amulet was posted back to him, " she said quietly, while she stroked his chest.

"Yeah, that was a bloody shock! " He looked down at her. " I felt the tug, the pull and thought it was them toying with me again, and then I felt the burn. I could feel each atom, each cell of my body burn up and separate much like I had in the hellmouth. I don't remember how I got there, just remember the pain and trying to scream and not being able to. Then I could hear myself and could feel my body knitting itself back together. When the pain stopped I was in Angel's office. " He wiped her cheeks dry, "Don't cry sweetheart. "

"You went through hell and back for me Spike, it's more than anyone has ever done for me. "

" I'd do it a thousand times over if it kept you safe, Buffy. " He saddened and let out a deep sigh, " Except I didn't, did I? Didn't keep you safe, didn't save my girl. "

Buffy held him close to her and felt his body shake as his tears soaked her shoulder. Her hands stroked him and played with the hairs at the nape of his neck as she had done before, to sooth him. "It wasn't your fault, Spike. I should have been stronger, I should have fought it. I.... I let it happen, wanted it. "

Spike looked up at her, frowning at her admission. "What? "

"I gave up, Spike. I had enough and welcomed it. I admit that I thought Dru would just drain me dry and leave me to die in that alley, and I let her. I could have taken the minions and Dru out, you know that. "

"Why? Why would you let her? "

" I had had enough, Spike. I thought, like you did, that I would be able to have a life after Sunnydale. I wasn't the only chosen one, they had Faith and the newbies. Giles had started another Watchers Council. I thought I would be freed from my calling and could travel and find somewhere to settle down, to be just me, Buffy. "

"But they had other idea's? " he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah, they sent me to spy on the Immortal in Italy, to get close to him and report back. They used me like a whore, telling me to get close to him, to get him to trust me so that I could report back anything I learned. It was Giles mostly. He heard that he had aligned himself with the Rome offices of Wolfram and Hart, which, of course, was connected to the L.A branch and Angel. "

Spike shook his head and laughed.

"What's so funny? " she frowned, not understanding his amusement.

"Angel and I came to Italy, got an assignment there. We went to your apartment and saw Andrew, he told us you had moved on and were dating the poncy git! Angel and me, we saw you dancing with him in some swanky club while we hunted down the Cappa's head. It was a set up from the word go, by the Immortal. "

"You saw Andrew and he said that? " her face contorted and shifted with anger. "He was my contact and knew everything! He didn't tell me he saw you either! "

"That might have been my fault. " Spike admitted. " He said you had moved on, so we should too. I saw him when they came to get that crazy slayer too, I asked him not to tell you I was back then, he'd said that you had a better life now, without me in it so I told him to not tell you I was back. "

"Wait 'til I see him... " she growled.

"Calm down, pet. No use getting angry over that now. "

Buffy pulled out of his arms and sat up, pushing her hair back from her face. " Don't tell me not to get angry, Spike! If he had told me I would have come for you. I would have had a chance, had something to fight for, something to walk away from them for. Something to live for. "

"Love? Look at me, " she glanced over her shoulder at him, " You're a fighter Buffy, whether you want to be or not. Every night you would have gone out and saved the general populace from demons and vampires. You wouldn't be able to fight that instinct inside you. " Spike edged forward, surrounding her with his body, holding her to his chest. " It's part of you and it's what I love about you, pet. Told you that before. "

"It's not part of me now though, is it? I'm a vampire, the very thing I was created to destroy. "

" It's true that you are a vampire. But Buffy? It's not all you are. Can't you feel it? " He turned her in his lap and took her face in his hands, gently cradling her cheeks. " Buffy, you have your soul. That's why you are having a hard time adjusting, why you felt guilty after you fed. I thought you would have known that, love, been able to sense it. "

"I don't know... maybe, but it feels different, like there's two beings inside me battling each other for their place inside me. It hurts, Spike. "

Spike pulled her to his chest and held her there. His face was a mask of confusion and his mind worked overtime. He couldn't be sure of what he was thinking, but he was worried. He needed to speak to Giles, he had a feeling that Buffy was once again proving herself to be an anomoly. Were there records of turned slayers and what happened to them? If so, was he right in thinking that the slayers essence was battling her vampiric demon for its right to remain housed inside his girl?

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"Are you completely stark raving mad?! " Giles bellowed as he paced. "You think that Drucilla was a potential and that she has the gift of the slayers prohectic dreams? "

Angel nodded, " Yes! "

"You're as crazy as she is! " Giles stated as he started polishing his glasses. " The Council has very detailed records of potential slayers, records that I have studied time after time, and not once have I seen her listed as one. "

Angel narrowed his eyes and smirked. " They've been wrong before, Rupert. The council aren't as infalible as you make them out to be. They missed Buffy, didn't they? It was how long before they knew of her being called? "

Giles stuttered and looked down, "While I admit that mistakes occur, they are rare and we always found the gilrs before harm could come to them. "

"Another lie, Giles. Whether that is your own lie or one fed to you by the Council, it is one non the less. Spike and Dru travelled across Europe picking the potentials off one by one. Only one of those had a watcher that was training her at the time. "

Giles had no reply, he just stared at the vampire, wishing he would spontaneously combust.

"What makes you think that Drucilla may have been a potenial though? Other than her prophetic dreams? " Giles asked.

"She was pure, it was what drew me to her. The demon could sense it and it craved it, wanted to destroy it, to taint it with it's influence. " Angel swallowed hard. " I had heard stories of slayers and was taught to avoid them, but I didn't meet one until Buffy. I never thought about it until now, but my demon reacts to Buffy the same way, it's only my soul that stops me from doing to her, what I did to Dru.

I always knew that Dru was special, that she had kept a part of her humanity after she was turned. When she turned Spike, he suffered the same fate. I researched, tried to find out if it was possible for vampires to keep their souls after the change, but Darla would have non of it and put a halt to it. After I was ensouled, I tried again but to no avail. "

"You think that she still has her soul? That Spike had his too? Now I know that you are completely mad! "

"When I lost my soul, when they ressurrected the judge, he said they reeked of humanity. " Angel said.

"That does not mean they have their souls, either as a whole or in part. It only means they have the ability to love. "

"Doesn't the Watcher Council state that a demon cannot love, that it is a soulless being and therefore, does not have the capacity to love? "

"I... "

"So, if Spike and Dru could love each other, and if they still had their humanity and could be burned by the judge, doesn't that mean that they had their souls? In whole or in part? " Angel threw Giles' own words back at him and smirked. " And didn't Spike love Buffy before he went through the demon trials to get his soul? He did that, put himself through that pain with the possibility of death, because he loved her. Does that sound like something a soulless demon would do, Giles, not even I as Angelus would have done that for her. "

Giles said quietly. "Good Lord! "


	5. Chapter 5

A/N:- At long last, I can update this story! So sorry it has been so long but I had issues with the document loader and it wasn't working for me. Sooooo... I have made this a longer chapter to make up for it and will now e posting regularly. I really hope you all like this chapter! Reviews would be nice :) I love to know what you think of the story

Chapter 5.

"What if I don't wake up? Or I wake up and find out this was all a dream? "

Spike sniggered, "Buffy, sweetheart, go to sleep. Your eyes are bloodshot and you haven't stopped yawning since we got back. Anyway, I would have thought you'd want to wake up and find out this was all a bad dream, what with you being a vamp an' all. "

"But then you wouldn't be here. " she pouted.

"And neither would you. " he sighed and pulled her into him again, " I promise you, love, I'll still be here when you wake up. "

"Promise? "

"I just said so, didn't I? Now close those gorgeous eyes and go to sleep. "

Buffy nodded, brushing her face against him, using it to snuggle down into his arms and chest and closed her eyes. Within minutes she was asleep. Her chest had stopped rising, telling him that she had finally drifted off. Spike could here movements downstairs and took one last look at Buffy before easing her out of his arms. Once he was free, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and slipped on his jeans.

The door to the office opened and Spike walked in, Angel was the only one to look up and acknowledge his prescence.

"Found anything yet? " Spike asked, the weariness in him showing in his voice. He sat down on the corner of the desk and pulled an open book towards him.

"It seems Angel thinks that Drusilla may have been a potential slayer before her turning. "

Spike sniggered, "Is that right? " He looked down at Angel and asked, " What makes you think that? "

Angel gave Spike a brief run down of his theories and explanations, at which Spike laughed. "You think I had some of my soul left in me after my turning? Are you completely off your nut? " He looked at Giles, "Come on Rupes, don't tell me you buy into it as well! You saw what I was capable of... Was that really the work of a vampire with a soul? "

"You were that way because I forced you to be, Spike. " Angel said quietly, " When you first came back with Dru you had no inclination to feed, to kill or hunt. We had to teach you, be hard on you ..... " Angel went quiet as the memories of how he had taught the young William to be a vampire invaded his mind. He shook his head to clear them and looked up at the now standing Spike. " What were your first actions as a vampire? "

Spike stiffened and his jaw clenched, his hands balled into fists at his side, "You know bloody well what they were! "

"You sired your own mother to keep her by your side and to save her from the disease that was killing her. Is that the act of a brutal vampire?You then staked her when she rose and wasn't the kind hearted woman that he remembered, but one that wanted to have sex with her own son and was a vicious killer. "

Giles looked to Willow who then looked back up at Spike. He was flustered, his shame obvious as Angel told of his first act as a vampire.

"Drusilla told me how she .. "

"Shut up! Just shut up, Angelus! You weren't there! You didn't see her.... " Spike had his fists balled at his sides, his jaw clenched in temper.

Angel spoke quietly, " I guess it's my fault in a way, I encouraged you to cut all of your ties to the human world, the only way for a vampire to do that is to kill their remaining family and friends. Only after my initial lesson did you then go out and kill your friends, only then did you show your potential as the kind of vampire I wanted you to be. "

Spike sneered at Angels comment, "I was never the kind of vampire you wanted, Angelus! Didn't matter what I did, I was never good enough for you! I gave up trying soon after you told me what a slayer was. "

The two vampires stood eerily still, glaring at each other. The tension was thick and choking, making it unbearable for the others in the shot a look to Giles, begging him to do something before they were trapped between the two vampires as they fought.

"Yes, well... Speaking of slayers, shall we get back to the matter at hand? " Giles said after he cleared his throat.

Buffy moaned as she turned over in bed and reached for Spike. Realising that he was not there, Buffy sat up and frowned at the empty spot beside her. She threw the covers back and got up to go and find him. She yawned and stretched her arms and back as she walked down the hall.

"I don't care if she had wings and a bloody halo when she sired her! " Giles yelled. " Fact is, Buffy is now a vampire, one that has a very deadly foe that seems hell bent on destroying her and the world along with her! All this he had a soul, she had a soul nonsense is irrelevent! "

"I agree, " Willow said. " What we need to do is find out who this big bad is and find a way to stop it before he has a chance to get to Buffy. " She turned to Angel, " As Drusilla's sire, can't you get her to tell you who it is? It will make it easier for us to find a way to stop them if we knew. "

Angel looked at Dru and then back at Willow, his face bland. " I can try, I doubt we'll get much from her though. "

"Try, " Willow said in a stern voice that he had never heard her use before.

Angel got up from behind the desk and went to sit with Drusilla, who was rocking and humming away to herself.

Her hunger was making her feel on edge and knowing that she would be around her very human friends only made her feel worse, so to fend off any accidental bitings, Buffy decided to get herself some blood before she joined them in the office. She sipped at a cup of O neg while she made her way through the kitchen. She heard raised voices and hurried off towards the office.

Drusilla swayed and whimpered like a child, shrinking low in Angels arms. "Just tell us who you have been seeing in your visions! We can't help Buffy if we don't know!! " He yelled in her face, trying hard to get through to her.

Dru laughed hard and shook her head. " He won't like me telling. He didn't like me trying to save her, but it didn't work. She still holds the spark he needs. "

Angel lips stiffened in anger and his hold on her upper arms tightened. "Dru, tell me who needs her spark. Why does he need it? "

Spike huffed loudly. " You won't be getting anything out of her like that! All you're doing is scaring her! " He couldn't believe that after all the time he had spent with her, Angel still hadn't learned how to deal with her. Over a century of looking after Dru, Spike knew exactly how to talk to her and understood her better than anyone. He approached her with a soft smile.

"Dru... Pet? "

Spike sat down on the floor and patted his lap, he held her hand and easily pulled her down onto it. Drusilla smiled and curled her legs up so that Spike could hold her like a child. Spike brushed her long hair from her shoulder and ran his finger down the column of her throat, bring a soft moan from her.

"Love? We need to know who wants our dolly. Can you tell me, sweets? Be our little secret. "

Dru giggled, "Shhh, we have to be quiet as church mice, he has ears everywhere. "

"Who does, " Spike asked in a hushed tone.

Dru moaned as if in pain and grasped her head, her nails clawed at her scalped and she pulled at her hair. Spike held her hands to stop her from harming herself, while she moaned and talked quietly to herself.

"I didn't , I haven't told.... No..... I am a good girl.... No.... "

Spike looked up at Angel and then at Giles, who frowned as he watched, his face torn between concern and the slow burning hatred he had for her.

"We need to get her calm, if we question her while she is like this we won't get the answers we need. " Angel said as he watched Spike comfort Drusilla.

Spike nodded. He lifted Dru as he rose from his lace on the floor and grunted "Move, " at Giles so that he could lace Dru on the sofa. When she had settled, Spike pulled Angel to one side and leaned into him, making sure that Giles and Willow couldn't hear them.

" I know what you're saying, don't s'pose you have anything that'll help? "

Angel was quiet for a short time then nodded, " I have some drugs we used a while back, when I was locked in the cage downstairs. Long story, " he added at Spikes amused look.

"Good to know, is the cage still down there? Could come in handy. "

"Yeah, yeah it is, though what state it is in now, who knows. Shouldn't take much to fix it up. What have you got in mind? "

"Not sure yet, mate. I'll let you know when I am. " Spike glanced at Dru. " Best get those drugs now, yeah? "

Angel opened the office door and nodded in Spikes direction before leaving.

Buffy stood in the dark alcove by the office door, listening to what was being said. She had watched Angel go into the basement and heard metalic scrapes and bangs come from the room below. It was only a short time later that he returned carrying a small medical pouch. He went straight back to the office, holding the pouch out as he entered. Intrigued, Buffy stalked closer to the room they were in and listened from her spot in the dark.

" This is the same drug used to weaken slayers that are to undertake the cruciamentum, it should be strong enough to calm her, " Giles informed the group. " It will take some time to work, maybe it would be best to feed her, so that she has fresh blood in her system. "

"If you feed her then it will take longer to affect her, vampire constitutions work differently to human. If we feed Dru then she will be stronger and therefore, it will take longer to work. We only have three shots of the drug and we have no idea how long we may have to keep her sedated. "

Giles nodded his understanding and with Angels help, administered the drug. Dru moaned and rubbed at her thigh, but laid still.

"So, now that she has calmed somewhat, how do we proceed? " Giles asked.

Willow, who had been quiet up until now, sat forward and pointed to a large book, which she had been reading. In it was a passage and an illustration. It showed an angel with white wings being shackled by a horned demon. The text told of a being, forged from an innocent and a demon that would be used as an instrument of God. It prophesized the rise of the fallen, that he would use the heart and soul of Gods innocent to rise up with his army and rage a war on earth and in heaven.

"Could this be what Drusilla is seeing? " Willow asked and thrust the book at the three men, each stared at the passage and illustration. Giles snatched his glasses off and huffed out loudly. Spike turned from the book, trying to keep his emotions under control while Angel held the book and began to think deeply.

Giles spoke, "I imagine it could very well be. If that is the case then we have no time to lose. We must find out everything we can about this... this prophecy and do all we can to protect her. "

Angel whispered, " Literal hell on earth.... "

Spike looked over his shoulder at him and then looked at the heavens. Giles slumped into the chair behind the desk, his face was ashen, as pale as the vampires that looked at him. If they were looking at him for answers, he didn't have them. He was in shock. He was scared.

They all were.

The outer door to the hotel slammed, snapping them all from their thoughts.

"Shit! " Spike cursed as he ran out of the office and out of the hotel.

Spike stood on the sidewalk outside the hotel and looked in every direction. "Buffy! " He yelled, as Giles, Willow and Angel came running out to stand beside one looked around the near empty streets. Giles punched his thigh as he growled out a "Dammit! "

Angel looked at him and shook his head. Spike ran his hands through his hair and muttered something to himself, then turned to the group, " Any idea where she would have gone? "

Angel shook his head, others shrugged.

"Bollocks! How could we be so bloody stupid? "

Willow laid a hand on his arm, causing Spike to look her in the eyes, "We forgot that she.....

"That she's one of us, a vamp and that she now has enhanced hearing? " Spike finished for her. " Yeah, I know. " He gave her a weak smile. He narrowed his eyes and breathed in deep. "Her scent... It's faint but if we hurry, I can track it. "

Each one fell in step as Spike followed the faint hint of her in the air, his pace was a fast one.

Buffy had walked aimlessly and found herself stood on the steps of a church. She looked up at the gargoyles and the huge stone crucifix that was above the large wood doors. She shuddered and reached out to push the door open. She peered inside and was grateful that it seemed empty. Buffy walked in slowly and made her way to the altar. The sound of shuffling feet drew her attention.

She turned to see the preist stare at her with narrowed eyes. She looked down , ashamed.

"You dare to walk in here? A creature shunned by God. " He took a step closer and his hand fell onto the crucifix tha hung on a long chain around his waist. He frowned. " But you're not like others of your kind, are you? "

Buffy looked up at him, " No, I guess I'm not. "

"No. " He said quietly, " Come, sit. What brings you to my door? "

Buffy slid into a pew as the priest sat in the one in front. She toyed with the dress that she still wore, some blood showed on the front and she felt dirty all of a sudden. The guilt grew tenfold.

"You killed? " The priest asked, his tone even.

Buffy nodded and looked away. "My sire, she..... she told me to, it was instinct. I woke so hungry and I didn't....... "

"Didn't what, child? "

"Feel it. Not until later when... "

The priest sighed and shuffled on his pew. " Explain what you mean, I'm sorry but I'm not one for riddles. "

"My soul. "

The priest nodded. " I could see it there in your eyes. You are conflicted though and not just because you have tasted the life of others. " He stood and faced Buffy, looking down at her. " Who were you before you were taken, child? "

Buffy met his gaze and saw forgiveness upon his face. It was as if he knew who she was without her having to say. " I was.... a slayer. " After a pause, " The slayer. "

" So, you are the one, then we have no time to waste. Come, let us go to my chambers. We have much to discuss. "

Buffy frowned, puzzled by what he had said, but followed him to the rear of the altar and through a heavy wooden door. It opened into a large hall where he kept to the left and then walked through an arch, into a long narrow corridor. Buffy hissed as her shoulder brushed the wall. She felt her face morph and noticed the walls were covered in crosses.

" You should walk in the center and avoid the walls, sorry I should have mentioned it before now. " He continued down the narrow walkway.

Once they were escounced in the small chamber, the priest sat at a desk and motioned for Buffy to sit in the chair opposite. She lowered herself into it slowly, nerves were getting the better of her. The priest opened a drawer and hit a button inside. The sliding door behind Buffy had her turning in her seat to see what was happening. Behind the door was another room. It was large, very dark and the aroma that it held bled into the room. Rich incense. The preist stood and motioned for Buffy to follow him, she did. Her nerves were vibrating and she felt uneasy as she stepped into the room. Now she could see what was housed in the room and she felt as if she had stepped into a lions den.

A nun sat off to one side and was knelt as if in prayer. She chanted in a language that Buffy had never heard before. Her eyes slowly took in the rest of the room and came to a halt when she saw the table. On it laid an old woman, bound at the wrists and ankle. Her eyes were missing, in their place were dark recesses filled with a dark fluid that looked like swirling molasses. The woman began to squirm and call out in what sounded like Latin. Her body was barely covered and when she began to pull at her bindings, Buffy could see marks all over her flesh. The markings looked like runes.

"What is she saying? What are those marks? " she asked the priest.

The priest approached a desk filled with books and sat. He looked up at Buffy and sighed. " She is a seer. She predicted the coming of the apocalypse and of your rebirth. The markings are to protect her from him. The nun is chanting from the Holy book in a bid to protect this room from his are at great risk now that you have found us. We must work fast, now please, sit.

Buffy sat down and as soon as she had, the priest turned a book, open at a page, to her and tapped it with his finger. Buffy frowned but looked down at the pages. Tucking some stray hairs behind her ears, she began to read. The priest sat back, his fingers templed under his chin as he watched the enigma across the desk from him. His mouth twitched as he watched her focus, her brows furrowed and her nose wrinkled.

"When does all this start? " Buffy asked, looking up from the book briefly.

"It already has. "

"The seven signs? "

"Will start on the 7th of the 7th of the 7th. "

"Next month.... shit! " she looked up and gave the priest an apologetic smile, "Sorry. "

" I may be a man of the cloth but I can assure you that I said more or less the same thing. "

Buffy glanced up again and smiled wider before focussing again on the book. " We really need this book. Giles and Willow would be better and this researchy stuff than me. I'm sure Angels team will be interested too. "

"Angelus? "

"Uh-huh, what about him? " Her frown had returned.

" He is to be used as an instrument of evil, tell me child, does he still retain his soul? "

Buffy nodded, " Yes, yes he does. Spike still has his too, in case you were wondering. "

"We know of Williams soul. His is bound to him, as is yours, but Angelus? His is not. He must be watched closely. "

If her heart could beat it would be pounding beneath her breast. The illustration on the next page made her eyes widen and her unneeded breath catch in her throat. It looked as if it had been scratched onto the parchment with claws and Buffy could smell the metallic taint of blood. The drawing had been sketched in blood.

In the centre of the page a monster held a naked woman bound in what looked like rope. On closer inspection, Buffy could see that they were intestines coming from a corpse that laid at the womans feet. The beast had a human-like face but with the horns that twisted out from his forehead, his chest was very muscular, his waist dipped in and from there he had the legs and cloven hooves of a eyes were black with a swirl of yellow and she was sure that she had never seen anything that looked so evil. Again, Buffy looked at the embrace and almost choked on the breath she drew in sharply. The woman was impaled, for that was the only way Buffy could describe what she saw, on the beasts huge penis. Hands that belonged to creatures and demons clutched at the womans legs and breasts. Each one displaying the effect she had on them. Behind the couple was an orgy, all manner of beasts in the act of fornication. Fire surrounded them and at the edge of the drawing laid baron lands with only a dry husk of a tree here and there.

Buffy pushed he book away, her unshed tears blurring the image. Not that they would stop her from seeing it, having it ingrained into her psyche. She stood abruptly and tutted as she felt the first tear fall to the table top.

"I shouldn't have come. I.... I need to go. "

"Take the book, child. Give it to those who need it to defeat the beast. "

Buffy looked down at the book, fear making her shake now. "Th... thank you. " She snatched the book up and held it to her chest.

"Take care, slayer. I hope that you can defeat him, for all our sakes. I will be here should you need me. "

"Thank you, Father. I am sure we will. "

"Buffy? " he said as she reached the door. Buffy turned to him. " William.... He .... He is crucial. "

With that said the priest stood from his desk and blended into the darkness.

"God bless you child. "


End file.
